It is a Celebration of Life - anyone, no matter how rich or poor, famous or unknown, young or old, affects the life of others in some way. It helps acknowledge that someone we love has died.

Religious Ritual - Religion has prominent position in many people's lives. They receive comfort and reassurance from religious beliefs and ceremonies that allows them to fulfill the final stages of their spiritual life.

Social Support - Provides social support for us and other friends and family members.Allows us to search for the meaning of life and death. It also helps acknowledge that someone we love has died.

Acceptable environment to express feelings - Offers a time and place for us to talk about the life and death of the person who died. Allows us to say goodbye.

Final Disposition of the Deceased - One of the harsh realities of death is the necessity for the final disposition of the physical body of the deceased whether it is burial, entombment or cremation.

A: The foremost reason for embalming is the protection of public health. Contrary to the old belief that “the germ dies with the host,” human remains begin to decompose almost immediately, therefore offering an ideal environment for microbial growth. Untreated remains pose serious public health concerns.Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition process and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by a traumatic death or illness. Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition (burial or cremation), thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.

A: Funeral Homes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You must have the numbers of the funeral homes that you know of, who provides professional and quality service. You will immediately know if the funeral home you are calling has professional staff by the manner they answer your questions.

A: The funeral service packages vary depending on the choice of the family who needs the service. This includes a professional service charge; transfer of remains, embalming and other preparations, use of viewing facilities, use of chapel for ceremony, funeral coach, flower car, and casket. Sanctuarium's prices however, are competitive and affordable in spite of the amenities.

A: When compared to other major lifer cycle events, like births and weddings, funerals are not expensive. A wedding costs at least three times as much; but because it is a happy event, wedding costs are hardly criticized. A funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive facilities (viewing and visitation facilities, chapels, funeral coaches, etc.), these expenses must be factored into the cost of a funeral. Moreover, the cost of a funeral includes not only merchandise, like caskets, but the services of a funeral director and other staff in making arrangements; filing appropriate forms; dealing with priests, tribute planners, florists, newspapers and others; and seeing to all the necessary details that the client family needs, 24 hours a day for 5 to 7 days.

A: Funeral directors are caring individuals who help people deal with a very stressful time. They serve the same families 80% of the time, and many have spent most of their lives in the same industry. If they took advantage of the bereaved families, they could not stay in business. The fact that the average funeral home has been in business over 35 years shows that most funeral directors respect the wishes of the bereaved families.

A: Funeral directors look upon their profession as a service, but it is also a business. Like any business, funeral home must also make a profit to exist. As long as the profit is reasonable and the services rendered are necessary, complete, unparalleled and to the fullest satisfaction of the family, profit is legitimate.

A: Sanctuarium is a funeral home that has the facilities to conduct not only a private or public gathering and ceremonies such as a funeral or memorial services, but more. We have a crematory and columbary under one roof. The role of a funeral director is to offer options, listen to the family's preferences, and carry out those wishes.

A: Yes, quite often some sort of viewing precedes the actual cremation. Sanctuarium can assist you with the necessary information for a funeral with a cremation following or memorial service.

A: Cremation is the process of reducing the body to bone fragments through the application of intense heat. This usually takes from two to three hours and occurs in a special type of furnace, known as a cremation chamber or retort. The remaining fragments are then processed into a finer substance and placed in a temporary container. Before the cremated remains are returned to the family, they are usually transferred to an urn for permanent containment. Many people believe that at the time of death only two basic choices exist: immediate cremation of the body or a complete funeral including viewing, followed by burial. In fact, several options are available in between for those who prefer cremation. Cremation and burial are both defined as methods of caring for the body and, as such, are just one part of a funeral.Just like burial, cremation can occur after a funeral where the casket is present at one's place of worship or a funeral chapel. Likewise, cremation can occur after a memorial service. The urn may be present for the memorial service, depending on the family's wishes.As with burials, the funeral may be preceded by a period of visitation or a reception at the funeral home or mortuary. During this time and before the service, the casket may be open or closed, according to the preferences of the survivors. Instead of mortuary chapel, some families opt to have the funeral ceremony at their residence or other location like the Church, which is another matter of personal choice. After cremation, a public or private service may be arranged for the final placement of the cremated remains (Cremains).

A: Cremation is often considered to be an inexpensive, less complicated substitute of the "traditional" funeral. Many people believe that at the time of death two basic choices exist: immediate cremation of the body or a complete funeral including viewing, followed by burial. Cremation and burial are both defined as "modes of disposition," methods of caring of the deceased and, as such, are just one part of the funeral services. As times change, trends change too. Today, many opportunities exist for meaningful services for the benefit of family and friends - both before and after cremation take place. Cremation and its many "Options" may reduce the cost over traditional funerals that require earth burial. These charges will vary in accordance with each person's or family's desires. Your funeral director can offer current information on cremation costs and will, at the time of arrangement, provide a complete listing of charges for the services you select.

A: Your funeral director has a great deal of experience in making these arrangements. With your help they can and will compose a notice for local newspapers using information the family provide. If some special wording or a photo is to be used or if some of the information is private, please make the funeral director aware of this at the earliest opportunity.

A: Preplanning helps to protect your loved ones from future uncertainty and avoids the stress of facing unfamiliar choices at an emotionally difficult time. Most people have little idea of what is involved, what the costs are and, most importantly, what final arrangements would be desired. It allows one to make their own choices, while keeping costs as low as possible. You may actually prepay your funeral and Guarantee the future increases of costs due to inflation. Preplanning enables the person to resolve one of life's most important and inevitable details in an intelligent, efficient manner. It is the greatest gift that you will give to your family.

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